The Effects Of Premarital Sex

Waiting until you're married to engage in sexual activity isn't just some antiquated ideal. It can be beneficial to both partners and the relationship itself. Likewise, engaging in sexual activity before being married can also affect a relationship in myriad ways. Premarital sex can affect how a couple relates to each other, change the dynamics of the relationship and even have physical effects. And, of course, a child could be brought into the equation.

Relational Effects

Premarital sex can lead to emotional distress, distrust, regret and emptiness, according to the Medical Institute for Sexual Health. Sex creates a bond between two people that can easily be violated if the commitment isn't strong enough to sustain it. Marriage creates a lifelong commitment and can support the bond a sexual relationship creates. A study released in 2006 by the Guttmacher Institute, a New York-based nonprofit that studies sexual and reproductive health, showed 95 percent of Americans have had premarital sex. With numbers so high, it is more difficult for couples to be sure their sexual relationship will create a lasting bond.

Physical Effects

Sexually transmitted diseases are often passed when couples have had multiple sexual partners. Although premarital sex doesn't necessarily mean the couple have had multiple sexual partners, the chances are greater than if a couple vows to abstain until marriage. A 2008 study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) found 25 percent of U.S. teenage girls have at least one sexually transmitted disease, a percentage that increases with age.

Pregnancy

Pregnancy is always a possibility, even when using contraception. According to a "Journal of Family Psychology" study done in 2008, couples who cohabit before marriage are at greater risk of divorce and report a lower level of dedication to the relationship, which increases the risk of a single-parent household if a child is involved.

Marital Effects

A married couple could also be more likely to experience problems if one or both partners had been sexually active before marriage. Couples with multiple past sexual partners may find themselves comparing their marital sex life to their premarital sex life, often leading to dissatisfaction. A 2002 study by the CDC also showed couples who engage in premarital sex are much more likely to become divorced within 10 years than those who abstain until marriage.

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